


When I Look Into Your Eyes I Can Feel the Butterflies

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Scenarios de par Liaisons [4]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Romance, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-21
Updated: 2011-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-27 17:26:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/298251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oh hell, Hotch had that chance; he was getting into an SUV with that chance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When I Look Into Your Eyes I Can Feel the Butterflies

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS FOR DAMAGED!!! This is #4 in the Scenario de par Liaisons series. The title comes from the Norah Jones song, What Am I to You?

“Hey Superman, we’re out of here.”

“I'm sorry?” Hotch looked up from his paperwork at Emily Prentiss standing in his doorway. He took off his glasses, rubbing his eyes. His head hurt and the contacts came out hours before.

“We’re leaving.” She said. “Nothing on your desk is that important.”

“I've been neglecting this paperwork for almost a week. I think…”

“Look at my face,” she replied. “In case you can't read it, it says I don’t really care what you think right now.”

“Um, O-K.”

“Hotch…” Emily walked into his office and closed his door. “We are going home.”

“Home?”

“That’s right. My home, because I'm sorry but you have the most uncomfortable pillows on the planet.” She grinned. “You're definitely going to have to do something about that.”

“Who are you and what have you done with Emily Prentiss?” he asked.

“Are we done bickering about it?” she asked, pulling him up from the chair and placing her hand on his shoulders.

“I'm too tired to bicker.”

“Good, then I am running the show.”

Emily grabbed his jacket, put it over his arm and walked out of the office. The Unit Chief sighed. He turned off his computer, grabbed some files and paperwork that needed to go into his briefcase and followed. She was already at the elevator. They were quiet as they got on and rode down to the lobby. Signing out, they walked into the autumn night.

There was a slight chill in the air but the breeze felt good to Hotch. He had been trapped up there in his office, trapped in his own hell and it was sweltering. He hated how he behaved at the prison, even if Hardwick did deserve to have the shit kicked out of him.

Hotch wore a little smile thinking how gratifying it would have been to beat him to a pulp. It wouldn’t have been worth it, there was far too much to lose, but the thought of it…everyone deserved the chance to do something they never normally would. Oh hell, Hotch had that chance; he was getting into an SUV with that chance.

“Reid told me what happened with Chester Hardwick.” Emily said as she started the car. The Cure came from the speaker, she turned down _Charlotte Sometimes_. Hotch raised his eyebrow at the musical selection but he knew Prentiss…she liked everything from Ambrosia to Ziggy Stardust.

“Why did he do that?” Hotch asked.

“Because I asked; because I knew something was wrong.”

“I wasn’t going to do anything to the sick son of a bitch.”

“Right, so you tore off your jacket, tie, and *gulp* unbuttoned some of your shirt to do nothing.”

“Are you teasing me?”

“No.” Emily shook her head. “I'm glad you didn’t hurt him, no matter how much he deserved it. I'm sorry I wasn’t there to listen to you.”

“What are you talking about? You asked for space Emily, I gave it to you. It was agonizing at times but I obeyed your wishes.”

“I just…we’re friends before anything else and I should have been there to listen.”

“Listen to what? I haven’t had a lot to say lately.”

She nodded and they fell into silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable but there was something about it that made Hotch want to fill it with something other than the incredibly strange song she was listening to.

“Charlotte who?” he looked at her.

“What?”

“What the hell are we listening to, Emily?” Hotch couldn’t help but smile, despite how he felt. That meant all wasn’t lost.

“ _Charlotte Sometimes_ by The Cure.”

“ _Just Like Heaven_ ; they sing _Just Like Heaven_?”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Haley loved that song.” He said, mostly to himself.

Emily kept her thoughts quiet about that revelation, deciding no one, especially the soon to be ex. Mrs. Hotchner would make her feel icky about The Cure.

“I signed the divorce papers, Em…its over.”

“I'm glad. I mean, I'm glad it’s not hanging over your head anymore. I know you were…” she let the sentence drop, merging onto I-95 North towards DC. She glanced at Hotch once she was in the right lane.

“I knew it was over for a while now. Haley and I both made mistakes; we’re not perfect.”

“Perfection is overrated. I am here if you want to talk about it but not talking about is alright too.”

Hotch nodded, reaching over to stroke her hand. There was nothing to say really…the whole team watched it unfold anyway. It was over and he needed to put it away. His priorities were Jack and his sanity. Jack, his sanity, and Emily. Hotch knew he could not push the subject of taking their relationship to the next level. Just the fact that they were in a car together but not on the way to a crime scene was some solace.

It had been over a month since that night in her kitchen. Hotch really thought it was over that night. His heart and mind were ravaged, wondering how he could love her as much as he did yet still be devastated about the situation with Haley. No man was one-dimensional and Aaron Hotchner had more sides and shades than most. There was still confusion, questions, thoughts, and worries. He didn’t want to think about them right now though. Soon, but not right now.

“So, Rossi solved his case?” he asked.

“We all solved it together. I think he is a good addition to our team. At first I was afraid he would try to take the reins, go at it alone, but when he finally saw that we always have each other’s backs no matter what… It will take more time but I look forward to working with him and learning from him.”

“That sounds like a unit review, Prentiss.” Her last name came out before he could stop it but it didn’t seem to bother his companion.

“What should I say instead? I thought he might be an egomaniacal ass returning to the FBI for all the wrong reasons but finally took a step back to see that his issues are his own and we all have them and they make us better, not worse. I think he is a good man, a good Agent, and everything else is just that.”

“He taught me most of what I know.”

Emily nodded but didn’t say anything else. Hotch felt as if he wanted to say too much so he leaned back in the seat, focusing instead on the music. He still didn’t know what he was listening to…the voice was familiar. He almost wanted to say Duran Duran but Hotch was sure he knew all of their music. It didn’t really matter so he just listened; the rest of the ride home was quiet.

Emily parked in the underground garage, the elevator took them up to her condo, and she opened the door. Halfway into the living room, Hotch pulled her into his arms. It had been too long since he held her close, felt her energy. She seemed tired, he wanted know why. He wanted to talk, talk until they were exhausted like they used to do. He missed that so much.

“Tell me what you're thinking.” He whispered.

“The truth?”

“Always.”

“I am so pissed tomorrow isn’t Saturday.”

“It’s Friday,” Hotch replied, laughing some.

“That’s not the same as Saturday. I usually spend some time at work on the weekend but not this weekend. This weekend is all about relaxing. It’s about breakfast, bad Lifetime movies, maybe actually reading more than a chapter of the Harlan Coben novel on my nightstand. It’s about…”

“You and me.”

“Aaron…” Emily pulled away some but stayed in his embrace. If she was truthful with herself she never wanted to leave it. Still Emily had become an expert at lying to herself as well. Deluding herself, even if the pain would come later, got her through some really rough times. “Let’s just focus on tonight.”

“What's happening tonight?” he asked.

“I have a bottle of white wine and my favorite sheets on my bed. I want to sleep.”

“Then we sleep. You go upstairs and I’ll get you something to drink.”

She smiled, pulling him into another hug and exhaling as he held on. Hotch watched her go into the living room and up the stairs. In the kitchen, he opened the fridge. There was a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc on the second shelf so he poured a healthy glass before grabbing one of the beers beside it. It was Coors Light, not exactly his favorite but would probably get the job done. George, Emily’s Abyssinian, came in and stared at Hotch.

“Hey George.” He leaned to pet him and the cat accepted his affection. Abyssinians could be picky but they got along well. That was weird since Hotch would never call himself a cat person and Emily told him George was indifferent to most everyone, sometimes even her.

When Hotch went upstairs, the cat followed him. Emily was down to her underwear, violet satin knickers with black lace trim and a matching bra. He caused him to pause but he recovered, placing the wine and beer on the nightstand. Wrapping his arms around Emily from behind, Hotch’s lips teased the nape of her neck. Her hand covered his as it caressed her stomach, toying with the bar in her navel.

“I want this to be perfect.” Emily said. “Nothing is perfect yet I want this to be and when its not I am going to find so much fault with it that I will push you away with my insanity.”

“If you know that, stop yourself.”

“If I could stop myself then I probably wouldn’t know it. I've watched the drama of Emily Prentiss unfold for thirty six years. I don’t let people get close.”

“I would have to say I am pretty close.”

“I'm not joking around, Hotch.”

“I don’t want you to push me away,” he turned her around in his arms. “How many times do I have to tell you that I love you?”

“Until I believe you.” She yanked on his tie. “I'm not easy to love.”

“That’s very untrue. You're not easy to get to the center of, but neither am I. You’re incredibly easy to love, Emily.”

His kiss was gentle and Hotch’s hands moved down her back to cup her buttocks. Emily moaned into his mouth, her arms tightening around his neck. They moved back toward her bed, falling into the soft sheets, the kisses deepening. Emily was on top and she got rid of his tie and unbuttoned his shirt as Hotch unhooked her bra. They rolled on the mattress as more clothes came off. Hotch’s shoes, socks, his slacks, her panties and his boxers. George climbed on the bed with them, undeterred by their passion, and took up a spot near the bottom.

“Is he going to watch?” Hotch asked, laughing into another kiss.

“Does that bother you?”

“I have to admit, George and his voyeuristic tendencies are about the last thing on my mind right now.”

“What's on your mind, Agent Hotchner?” Emily caressed his face.

“Holding you, touching you, kissing you, and loving you. I love you, Emily.”

“I love you too.”

Emily sighed as he moved her thighs apart, stroking the skin with eager fingers. It didn’t take long for him to move between her thighs; breath hitched in her throat as her back arched. Hotch was not one to let his hands have all the fun. Lips moving down her body, lingering in her softest places, his mouth finally tasted her. It had been too long; moments when he thought he might never be there again. Of course it was about more than sex…it always had been. But neither could deny the chemical explosion that happened when they surrendered to their feelings.

“Uhhh, oh Aaron, mmm…” her hand found the back of his head as his tongue flicked across her clit.

He knew how to work it like a Stradivarius, knew how to make her feel as if she’d died and gone to heaven. Emily teetered so close to the edge but it wasn’t time to fall yet. His hands reached up to caress her breasts, covering them and squeezing. He liked the way it made her whimper and writhe beneath him.

“Oh God, oh God, let me go!” she exclaimed.

He did as she asked, the strangled moan of his name repeatedly from her lips made him want to let go as well. Back in her arms, he kissed her breathless. Emily melted in his embrace and tasted herself on his lips.

“You taste so damn good.” He murmured. “Much better than that beer getting warm on the nightstand.”

“Shit…” Emily turned to look at it. “Get a coaster, Hotch, that’s antique.”

He laughed a bit, letting the fear of ruining her good furniture interrupt their interlude. He put coasters under both the wineglass and the beer bottle before returning to her arms. Emily showed her thanks with more sweet kisses that made him feel invincible. He felt loved and that feeling could never be falsified. He had given up so much over time, lost people who were precious to him; he could not give this up.

“Do you love me?” he asked, caressing her face.

“You know I do.”

“Do you want this?”

“Just because…”

“Answer me, Emily. I know about all the rules and regulations; we’ve both been in the FBI a long time. Do you want this?”

“Yes,” Emily nodded, stroking his back.

Hotch sighed against her, moving his body over hers. He wanted her so much; so much he could hardly see straight. He kissed the tip of her nose.

“You wanted sleep.” He said.

“Mmm,”

He moved onto the mattress, resting on his back and taking Emily into his arms. She pulled a blanket over them as he reached to turn out the lamp. The room was quiet; Emily could hear her cat purring at the bottom of the bed. He usually crawled up and cuddled with her. George probably figured he wasn’t needed tonight.

“Are we really going to sleep?” she asked after a little while.

“Hmm?”

“Sleep Hotch, are we really going to sleep?”

“You said you wanted to sleep.”

“Well that was before you undressed me and…”

“What?”

“Got me all excited, that’s what? Did you do that on purpose?”

“I just wanted to make love to you.” Hotch turned on his side, holding her body to his.

“Where I come from Aaron Hotchner, you haven’t finished the job. Its no fun if we aren’t both satisfied.”

“You think seeing you come, feeling it, tasting it…you think that didn’t satisfy me? When you're happy Emily, I am so happy.”

“Good,” She rolled onto her back, pulling him on top of her. “I am happy. I'm deliriously happy and I don’t want to go to sleep because I'm not sure what happens in the morning.”

“The same thing that happens every morning Emily, we'll just do it together.”

***


End file.
